Thought processes and conversations started under the tilted cap of Tropicana Field. Someday everyone will know the Rays play in St. Petersburg, Florida, not TAMPA, or the fictitious city of TAMPA BAY.

Got to Know When to Hold ‘Em

During their 13 year existence, the Tampa Bay Rays have always had trouble with their foes in the American League West. Coming into this recent three game series against the Texas Rangers, the Rays have gone a combined 187-277 against this division. The Rays do have a few bright spots in 2010 so far as they swept the Seattle Mariners this season, plus won in Anaheim for the first time since 2008. It is paramount right now that the Rays rise up and throw down their own gauntlet towards this division that has always been a thorn in their side. And it all began again in an upcoming ten game AL West swing beginning with a trip into Tropicana Field by the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers come into Tropicana Field as the American League West division leader, and a threat to the Rays surge to again hold onto first place in the American League East. The Rangers came in with the simple thought that if they could beat the Rays in their own house, they could effectively put some seeds of doubt in the Rays minds before their West Coast road trip. The Rangers wanted to play their own special brand of Texas Seven Card Stud with the Rays hoping that Texas could out hustle the Rays with a few well placed losses that would eventually bring these two squads back together in the American League Divisional Series in October, with the Rangers holding the momentum card.

With the Rangers beating the Rays in two of their three games under the June heat in Texas, the team came into Tropicana Field wanting to show the Rays that Texas had the might and the winning hand to take this critical late season series. As the first cards were dealt on the night of the first contest, with both Texas and Tampa Bay going with their left-handed “Aces”. The Rangers sent to the mound the cunning Cliff Lee, while the Rays sent cool-handed David Price and it was soon evident that this game would be an instant classic.

It was a match-up of two of the better left-handed pitchers in baseball going at it with each and every pitch. And the game was a classic pitcher’s duel until Lee flinched first in the bottom of the fifth inning to give up two Rays runs. Both teams fought back and forth before Lee showed his final hand and the Rays put 6 earned runs on the Texas southpaw who had lost this third straight game against the Rays this year. In the end, the Rays had converted the better hand with their Ace (Price) giving them the top card to take this first of three games.

And in the second game, The Rays put up a second “Ace”, Matt Garza on the mound to oppose the 9-1 record of Texas starter Tommy Hunter, but the Rangers were easily out hustled in this contest. The game quickly turned into the Rays favor in the bottom of the first inning as the Rays spotted three quick runs on the board off Hunter and never looked back in this game. The Rays “Kings” Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford went a combined 6-9 with 6 RBI and the Rays went 6-15 with runners in scoring position in taking the second game of the series. The final score of 10-1 showed that the Rays had the winning cards on that night with their ace in the hole, Garza going 7 inning with 10 strikeouts and surrendering only 5 hits.

But it was in the third game, which was played as a matinee game where both squads brought this game to another level and fought tooth and nail to the final out. The Rays sent their third “Ace” in a row to the mound in this contest James “Big Game” Shields who finally got some of his control back and gave up only 4 hits in his seven innings of work. Even though Shields did not shut out the Rangers, he did have one of his best performances of the season’s second half tonight to give the Rays the much needed series sweep. But Shields also got some tremendous run support from the Rays as they posted 8 runs in this final game. And that is huge as the Rays were averaging 3.13 runs per game for Shields in 2010.

The Rays ended up playing some amazing offensive cards against the Rangers in this three game series. And within the grasp of this series a few things did end up happening. The Rays are again in a tie for the American League East crown with the New York Yankees, and the Rays have also seen Longoria and Crawford emerge from their recent struggles. By out hustling the Rangers with their own cards, the Rays showed that they might be dealing the best cards of the season right now. Combined with the Longoria and Crawford offensive explosion, B J Upton is also riding high on a 9-game hitting streak to help the surging Rays.

The Rays next two series against Oakland (4 games) and Anaheim (3 games) could be just as critical as these first three games against the Rangers. The Rays have played twenty games against the A L West division during the 2010 season, going a unprecedented 14-6, but have gone a combined 3-3 in journey’s to Anaheim and Oakland, which also included a May 6th Perfect Game by A’s starter Dallas Braden. For once in the past few season, the Rays have a bit of an edge on this division, but again the team will have to play their cards close to their vest. They will begin on Thursday night by sending Rays “Jack of all trades” Andy Sonnanstine, who has performed great in relief starts to the mound.

For the Rays to finish off this 10 game A L West stretch in a positive light, the cards have to play right for the Rays. So far with a 3-0 start to this stretch, things are looking extremely positive to begin this road trip. But a losing record on this road trip might damage the Rays cred to both stay atop the A L East race, and have one of the top records in baseball. This road trip could also illustrates or expose a few kinks in the Rays armor heading into other crucial battle with their A L East rivals. Every game can hold a vital part to the Rays quest to again go into the Playoffs, or secure another A L East crown. Hopefully the Rays “Kings” and “Aces” are ready to again throw down the superior cards…or the Rays could fold.

Jane,
We got 7 games left of this AL West gig then hit back into some A L East match-ups against the Red Sox and Blue Jays. It is starting to look like that 4-game series in the Bronx might decide a few things between the Rays and Yankees.
But it is only fitting that it come down to that September match-up to give someone a boost up and possibly push someone to their lowest point of the season. It is not a two team race yet, but it is gettiung there quickly.

This Is Baseball! Love It! When you know you’re watching meaningful games and days of fortune turn into weeks then months…YEAH! ~ This is what baseball is all about
Double R. Big games in August. Know what I mean?
mikehttp://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/

Mike,
Know exactly what you are talking about there.
Something about the dog days of Summer and the excitement of Fall that brings about a renewal of your want to go long into October and come home with a prize for the mantle.

At first I couldn’t believe how well the Rays did against the Rangers. But then I remembered: the Rays are better. Better than the Rangers. Whoa. My Yankees better be careful. There is no room to breathe in this AL East!
-Virginiahttp://southernbelle.mlblogs.com

Virginia,
It is getting down to that time again where people are either going to believe that the Rays have the team that could prove to be a ballbuster through the Playoffs, or be a bust before it is all said and done.
If the Red Sox want to play any part of this scenario, they better get their stuff together now before they find themselves 10 games out with 20 games to play soon.
New York and Tampa Bay, in my opinion, will go back and forth until at least their meeting in mid-September in the Bronx. But you never know, the Rays did get close to losing their 2008 AL East title to the Red Sox before sprinting to the end and hitting the tape first…

The first two games of the A’s series were definitely not optimal, and the third game appeared as if it was playing out the same exact way, then with Garza’s balk call yesterday….

I guess I should be glad that we managed to run out of their with a split.

It sure is hard to play at the Colosseum… Add the excellent A’s pitching to that… I really don’t wanna face them again. I think its kind of ridiculous that we had to play 7 games at the Colosseum, and only 2 at the Trop though.

Charm,
I actually think a split was pretty good considering how the Rays began that series. But the Rays found a way to win and the roadtrip again started to turn towards the sun and not the dark clouds.
Now onto Anaheim where the Rays won their first road win against the Angels this year since 2008….Maybe that was a small omen.
Guess we shall see soon enough tonight.

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